Dash-pot for casket-lowering devices.



C. E. & F..A. SHRINER.

DASH POT FOR CA-SKET LOWERING DEVICES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. a. 1915.

1,188,686. Patented June 27,1916. I

2 SHEETS-SHEET].

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APPLICATION FILED MAR-5,1915. i

" Patented June 27, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- TION or ILnI-Nors.

TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. SHRINER AND FRANK A. snnmnn, or Mormon, Wisconsin. assiononsor ONE-THIRD T0 FRIGID FLUID COMPANY, or CHICAGO, rumors, A comaona-DASH-POT FOR GASKET-LOWERING DEVICES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pate t d J e-27 191 Application filedMarch 5, 1915. Serial No. 12,413, r

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, CHARLES E. SHRINER' andFRANK A. SHRINER, both citizens of the United States, residing atMonroe, county of Green, and State of Wisconsin, have m vented certainnew and useful Improve,-.

ments in Dash-Pots for Casket-Lowering Devices, of which the followingis a specification.

The present invention has reference to certain improvements in casketlowering devices of that general type in which the descent. of thecasket is resisted by hydrostatic pressure within a cylinder, therelease of the oil or other liquid from the cylinder permitting itsplunger or piston to move inwardly under the force generated by theweight of the casket. In this class of device the hydrostatic pressureto which the plunger and cylcylinder. Therefore, in those forms ofconstruction in which the volume of liquid Within the cylinder isdisplaced but once during a complete lowering operation, it isnecessaryto use a'cylinder of undesirably large,

size or else to permit the hydrostatic pressure to reach an abnormalfigure. As far as we are aware, in all mechan sms heretofore devised inwhich the descent of the casket is resisted by. the movementof a pistonor plunger, such piston or plunger has been permitted to make only asingle movement, and, therefore, it is our belief that all previouslydevised mechanisms have been sub.- jectto the objection above outlined.-

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a constructionsuch that the hydrostatic pressure may be maintained within reasonablelimits, while at the same time making use of a cylinder of whatever sizemay be found convenient or desirable. In accomplishing this object ofthe invention, we provide a construction such that the plunger or pistonis enabled to accomplish as many completestrokes as may be desired,thereby making it possible to absorb the energy given up by the descentof the casket and claimed.

even with a cylinder of very small size operatlng under a smallhydrostatic pressure.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a construction such thatthe descending of the casket will be'perfectly uniform and regularwithout any jerking tendency what soever. This result we accomplish byreason of the peculiar relationship which isfestablished between two ormore pistons or 'plungers working within their respective cyllnders. A

Still another object of the invention is to provide means for veryaccurately controlling the speed at which the casket will be speed canbe readily efl'ectuated bymeans ofa foot pedal or the like.

Other objects and uses will appear from a deta led description of theinvention which consists in the featuresof construction and combinatlonsof parts hereinafter described Referring to the drawings: Fi re 1 showsa plan view of the entire mechanism mounted in place with a casketsupported by the straps preparatory to commencing the loweringoperation; Fig. 2 shows a side'elevation corresponding to Fig. 1; Fig. 3is a I face view of the controlling mechanism; Fig. 41s a side viewcorresponding to Fig. 3; Fig. 5 1s a section taken on the line 55 ofFig. 41, looking in the direction of the arrows; and 6 is a sectiontaken on the line 66 of Fig. 3, looking in the directionof the arrows.

In the several figures we have illustrated a casket 9 as being supportedby the straps 10 and 11. The frame of the device comprises the endportions 12 and .13 and the sides 14 and 15. It is desirable that eachone of these should be extensible so that the size of the frame can beadjusted according to the size of the grave. The details of constructionof the frame will be presently described. At this point we will statethat the side portions 14 and 15 rotate in opposite directions,

being drivingly connected to either of them.

At the two corners where the portions 14.- and 15 adjoin the end 13there are prothe box 17 is mounted the energy absorber in the form of ahydrostatic plunger mechanism. For this purpose the box 17 has anoutwardly facing flange 23 to which is secured the absorber casing 24.The spiral gear is connected to a shaft or extension 27 which extendsthrough the flange 23 and finds a bearing therein. Inside of the easing24 a wrist plate 28 is secured to the extension 27, said wrist plate inturn'carrying a' crank pin 29. Within each cylinder there travels apiston 30 connected to its piston rod 31.

The side members 14 and 15 of the frame are preferably made up of theend tubular sections 21 and 47. A square or angular rod 48 slides withinthe tubular sections, passing through the blocks 49 which are providedwith square or angular perforations for the accommodation of the rods.These blocks are rigidly connected to the corresponding tubes. inalinement with their respective tubes we prefer to provide the blocks 50on their end portions. These blocks. serve the function of limiting theamount by which the frame may be extended endwise.

The shafts, which carry the spiral gears, are loosely connected to thetubular sections 51 and 52. This loose connection is preferablyefi'ected by pins 53 and 54, which pins serve to establish drivingconnections between the shafts and the tubular sections while at thesame time permitting said sections to twist with respect to the shafts.This will permit the parts'to accommodate themselves to irregularitiesin the surface of the ground. The tubular section 52 is provided with aseries of perforations 55 adapted to receive a pin 56. which isextendedthrough the tubular section 51 and drivingly connects the same with thetubular section 52. By means of this construction.

the entire frame can adjust itself to inequalities in the surfaceof theground so that the frame will lie in a warped plane. Nevertheless, thedriving connection is always established and maintained between the sideportions 314 and 15.

For the purpose of rewinding the frame a crank 57 may be applied 'to anysuitable point, but we have illustrated the same as applied to thatportion of the shaft of the side 14 which extends through the, box 16.

In order to maintain the rods 48 asniuch as the groups or pairs ofcylinders are mounted at right angles to each other, one or the other ofsaid groups will always be in position to receive the thrust from thecrank pin. The back ends of the cylinders 57 and 59 may be connectedtogether a by a port 63, and the back ends of the cylinders 58' and 60may be connected together by another port 64 at right angles to the port63. In the central. portion of the device is mounted a plug valve 65having the holes 66 and 67 cut'through it at right angles to each other,said holes not communicating with each other, and also being in linewith the ports 63 and 64 respectively. l/Vith this arrangement when-theplug valve stands in one position, both of the ports 63 and 64 will beclosed, whereas when the plug valve is rotated through 45, both of theseports will be opened to the full extent. At intermediate positions ofthe plug valve, the openings will be greater or less. Inasmuch as theopposite pairs of pistons travel in unison, there will be perfectcompensation or equalization of volume as between them, and thus thetendency toward the formation of' air pockets will be obviated.Furthermore, with this arrangement it is not necessary to fillthe'interior portions of the casing, nor is it necessary to permitcirculation between said interior portion and the back ends of thecylinders. However, the interior portion of the'casing may be filledwith oil if desired. As a simple means of controlling the plug valve, wehave shown a lever arm 68 mounted on the same and a spring 69 whosefunction is to restore the plug valve to closed position when the leverand arm is released.

With the mechanism embodying the features..of invention hereindisclosed, the rate of'descent of the casketmay be very nicelycontrolled, and, furthermore, the descent of the casket will beperfectly uniform by reason of the relative positioningi of thecylinders and their pistons. Furthermore, the

descent of the casket can be arrested at any I'- point because one ofthe pistons at least is always in position to receive the thrust or pulloccasioned' 'by the weight of the casket.

This would not be true of-an arrangement embodying a single cylinder,inasmuch as the piston must be more or less away from its positions ofdead center in order for it to take up the thrust or pull. Nevertheless,we wish to point out the fact that certain features of the invention donot require the use of two or more pistons, as, forexample, the featureof permitting'thepiston to accomplish a large number of reciprocationsduring the descent of the casket as distinguished;

from an arrangement in which the piston is permitted to accomplish'only. a single movement in one direction. Furthermore, the feature ofproviding for an equalization of the total inclosed volume at all timesduring the piston movement so as to eliminate the creation of any openor unoccupied spaces may be accomplished without the necessity of usingmore than a single piston.

While we have herein shown and described the essential features of ourinvention as applied to only a single construction or embodiment, stillit will be understood that many changes or modifications may be madewithout departing from its spirit or scope. Therefore, we do not limitourselves to the construction illustrated and described except as we maydo so in the claims, but we contemplate within the scope of ourinvention any equivalent mechanisms operating in equivalent manners toproduce equivalent results.

I claim: I

1. In a device of the class described, the combination, with a shaftoperatively connected to a part, said shaft being rotatable during theoperation of said part, of a plurality of cylinders mounted in pairswith respect to said shaft, the cylinders of each pair beingdiametrically opposed to each other, and the pairs of cylinders being atdifferent angular positions with respect to the .shaft, a piston withineach cylinder, the pistons of the pairs of cylinders being connectedtogether and working in opposition,-

a crank pin connected to the shaft, operative connections from the crankpin to the pairs of cylinders, there being fluid connections between theback ends of the cylinders of each pair, and means for controlling theflow of fluid through each of said connections, for the purposespecified.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination, with a shaftoperatively connected to a part, said shaft being rotatable during theoperation of said part, of a plurality of cylinders mounted in operativeposition with respect to said shaft, said cylinders being mounted inpairs, and the pairs of cylinders being at different angular positionswith respect to the shaft, the cylinders of each pair beingdiametrically opposed to cach'other, a piston Within each cylinder, thepistons of each pair .of cylinders being directly connected together andWorking in opposition, a crank pin on the shaft, an

operative connection from each of'said connections to the crank pln,there being fluid connections between the back ends of the c linders ofeachpair, said fluid connections being independent of each other, andmeans for controlling the flow of fluid through said fluid connections,for the purposespecified.

CHAS. E. SHRINER. FRANK A. SHRINER.

Witnesses:

AL MEMASCHWAUGH, H, S. BALL.

